Crowborough’s World In Need are looking for a new Chief Exec

World In Need was started in Crowborough in 1991 by locally based Christians, to help the Kurds and Yazidis of northern Iraq, who were suffering terribly under Saddam Hussein. From there, the charity has grown to include the countries where we work today.

People collecting clean water from the newly installed well at the village of Te Ogelo in northern Uganda (Photo World In Need)

In January, Chief Executive Officer David Shamiri left his post after eight very successful years, during which the work of the charity went from strength to strength. They are now looking for a new CEO, who will be able to build on David’s success.

Trustee Philip Rowland Smith explained the ethos of the organisation:

World In Need is a Christian charity that works through indigenous partners in twelve countries in Africa, Asia and the Middle East. With our support partners are able to spread the Gospel, and to provide education, opportunity and, where needed, aid, to help lift communities out of poverty. Much of World in Needs work involves reaching out to Muslims, and they do this both by sharing the Gospel, and by showing Christ’s love in action.

Women’s Literacy programme in Afghanistan (Photo World In Need)

The charity has a large child sponsorship programme which has enabled many children to break out of the endless cycle of low skilled jobs that don’t pay enough for workers to sustain themselves.

As well as this, World In Need supports schools in Kenya, Uganda, Sierra Leone, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Philippines. They also run the only Christian drug rehabilitation centre in southern Thailand, as well as a women’s literacy programme in Afghanistan. They’ve drilled water wells in Uganda and Sierra Leone, run children’s homes in India and Bangladesh, and have worked with Syrian and Iraqi refugees in Jordan, among many other things.

Mr Rowland Smith added:

Being a Christian charity, spreading the gospel is very important to World In Need. We operate the Soy International Bible Institute. Based in Kenya, it is attended by pastors and community leaders from all over east Africa, who come to learn theology, effective ministry and leadership skills.

In the Philippines, World In Need works with partners on the troubled island of Mindanao. Mindanao is the poorest of the Philippines islands, and the only one where the majority are Muslims. It has a huge drug problem and problems with sectarian violence and crime.

The new CEO of World in Need will work with the partners in all countries, leading them in delivering all goals and objectives. They’ll also develop and grow the charity by raising awareness of its work, through talks and fundraising activities, and will work alongside the staff at Head Office.

They also need a part time office assistant.

Further details about the jobs and the work of World In Need can be found on their website: www.worldinneed.co.uk.

Like all charities, World In Need needs volunteers, both in the office and with organising fund raising events. If you think you have an hour or two to spare, please give them a call.

A class in their school in Kenya (the Nancy George Academy) (Photo World In Need)